Giving FAQs

Simply put,the tithe is the first ten percent of your income, which God calls His followers to give to their local church. At the Vineyard, we call it “The First and Ten.” It refers to our financial resources, so we can’t substitute the giving of our time or talents for it.

What does the Bible say about tithing?

According to the book of Leviticus in the Bible, "A tenth of the produce of the land, whether grain or fruit, is the Lord’s, and is holy." Later in the Bible, in the Second Letter to the Corinthians, the Apostle Paul writes, "Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver."

What’s the difference between a tithe and an offering?

Your tithe is the first ten percent of your income given to the church that you call home.Offerings are additional giving that you choose to give from the remaining 90 percent of your income.Offerings can be given to your church, another charity, a friend or neighbor in need, or any number of other good causes.An offering can also be the giving of your time or talents, such as a tax professional offering to help his or her church with its tax preparation.

Why should I tithe?

The tithe is not for God’s benefit—He already has everything He needs. He doesn’t needour money.Tithing was created for ourbenefit. It teaches us how to keep God first in our lives and how to live unselfishly. Unselfish people make better spouses, friends, relatives, employees, and employers (and they usually have healthier finances).If we want to live like Jesus, we need to give generously.

Tithing is an act of obedience and should be give freely with pure motives. In other words, we give without expecting anything in return.

Is it okay to pause my tithing during tough financial times?

Remember: tithing is for your benefit, no matter what the times look like.While it can be tempting to take a break during tough times, we encourage you to continue trusting God and acknowledging His provision by continuing to tithe.We’ve heard many stories of people who have found that after they stopped tithing, their finances seemed to get worse. In the Book of Malachi in the Bible, God says that if you tithe instead of keeping it for yourself, He will pour out blessing and rebuke your devourers. In other words, He’ll keep you safe from those who might harm you.

If you are having trouble living off of 90% of your income, it may be an indicator of deeper financial issues.God doesn’t want you to live with that kind of stress.Contact us and we can direct you to some resources that can help.

Is it right to designate my tithe as charitable giving on my tax returns?

Of course it is.Consider the deduction as a blessing from your government for being generous.

When determining the amount to tithe, do I consider my income before or after taxes? And do I include income from side hustles?

We prefer not to define “income” for you.What is important is that you are giving back to God the first ten percent of what He has given to you.The leaders at Miami Vineyard choose to give off the top of our taxable income.In our experience, we have found that when you tithe, you’ll see God show up and show off, and (spoiler alert) you’ll want to give more.

As for your side hustle—the ten percent should be a percentage of your entire amount of income, not just your “nine-to-five.” So, if you take a part-time job on the weekends that brings in $300 extra each month, add that amount to your total monthly income.

I’m tithing and I’d like to give more.What do you recommend?

When our income increases, the natural reaction is to increase our spending.But seasons of financial blessing are a great time to grow in our generosity.We recommend that, once you’ve calculated your tithe, plus any saving and spending you’re doing, figure out what surplus you have. Divide that surplus among extra offerings, extra investing, and some fun money. It might help to specifically budget a certain amount each month for special giving opportunities above the tithe. Then look around you—ask friends if they know of anyone in need, and watch for opportunities to give that money away. If you’re intentional about seeking out those opportunities, you’re going to find them!

I’m not sure I’m ready to give. What should I do?

We recognize that giving is a big step. It can be scary and intimidating. But we also believe that giving is an important part of spiritual growth, so we want to make it easy to try. We encourage you to take “The 90 Day First and Ten Challenge.” Make a commitment to tithe to Miami Vineyard for 90 days, and, if at the end of that time you haven’t seen God bless you, you can stop, no strings attached. Just give God a chance to show up and show off in your life. He’s waiting to bless you in so many creative and wonderful ways.

Are there any limits to the amount I can give through your online giving platforms?

If you give by ACH online, the maximum you can give is $15,000 within a seven-day period. If you would like to give beyond that amount, please contact us at 305-234-9600 and we will guide you.

What “end date” should I use when scheduling my recurring donation online?

If you’re using a credit or debit card to give, use the card expiration date. You’ll receive an email reminder when you need to update your information. You can then select the frequency and the start dates and end dates of your giving.

What do the categories of giving on the Pushpay App and Webpage mean? Which one should I select when giving?

Your Tithe is the first ten percent of your income.If you feel compelled to give financially beyond ten percent, that is considered an Offering.You can designate your offering in a number of ways, such as Disaster Relief (which often goes to our partner Convoy of Hope), Future Building Projects to be used for Miami Vineyard’s ministry, and Missions, which support the work of missionaries around the world, such as Mark Berry.There is also a category for our Kingdom Builders, which is a group of people at Miami Vineyard who feel called by God to use their financial resources to help expand God's Kingdom impact to create a movement of generosity in the city of Miami, the region of South Florida, the Caribbean, and around the world. If you’d like to learn more about Kingdom Builders, please email generosity@miamivineyard.com.

Related Items

Contact Us

Our Office Staff is available Monday through Friday (except for holidays) from 9am to 5pm.